A Marshmallow in Riverdale
by ian7285
Summary: When Jason Blossom's death is ruled a homicide, the Blossoms calls in hotshot PI Veronica Mars to help investigate the case. [AU version of Riverdale's first season; before watching Season 4 of VM] [Also, I'm going to try and make it line up with the original as much as possible.] [Also also, I own the cover image. Please ask before using.]
1. We're Not In Neptune Anymore

_Say what you want about Neptune, but at least our criminals come with a beach. If I have to run away from some murderer, I'd rather not look like Frances McDormand in Fargo._

Keith Mars responded right away. _Try to play nice with this sheriff at least._

Veronica landed in Riverdale by helicopter, a perk when the folks hiring you are loaded with that sweet, sweet money. Literally. The Blossoms were apparently local royalty because of their monopoly on maple syrup in the region. They were the Kanes with less tech and more trees. Veronica assured herself that just because they were rich and had just lost a beloved child, it didn't mean they would be as shady or as cruel as the Kanes. After all, Celeste had shot Weevil and then framed him for gang violence, which was an incredibly high bar to set for shittiness.

Veronica decided to make a game out of how awful they appeared to be the moment she arrived at Thorn Hill. These were the kind of people who named their estate. Minus one on the rich people scale of coolness. The moment she stepped inside, the game was in full force. _Bonus round! Minus one for everything that looks like it came out of a Victorian horror story._

"Excuse me, dear…"

"Fuck!" Veronica physically jumped at the sight of her greeter.

"Such language on a young woman! But I won't tell…"

The old woman sat in a wheelchair, had one blind eye, and somehow maintained a streak of red in her otherwise white hair. _Fifty points! Fifty points for creepy!_

"Nana, I'll show her around." The girl who spoke couldn't have been more than sixteen or seventeen. She wore bright red lipstick that matched her long silky hair, as well as the gold and red spider brooch on her top. "Hi, I'm Cheryl Blossom."

The girl reached the bottom of the stairs and held out her hand. Veronica closed the distance and shook it, grateful for at least one normal interaction, even if Cheryl's smile looked like she'd slapped it clean off Madison Sinclair's face and pasted it on her own.

"Veronica. Veronica Mars. Your parents hired me as a private investigator?"

Cheryl nodded. "To find Jason's killer. He was my brother. My twin."

"Excuse me, sweetheart, we aren't taking press visits." The new voice belonged to a tall man with red hair that seemed a little more wig than hair to Veronica. A stern looking woman with auburn hair followed close behind him. It was like this family was competing with Scotland for the densest population of redheads.

"Dad, this is Veronica," Cheryl explained. "She's a PI."

The stern woman extended her hand. "Penelope Blossom. Thank you for coming, Ms. Mars. This is my husband, Clifford."

"A private investigator? For God's sake, Penelope, we don't need more attention drawn to this and causing a scandal."

"Scandal? Our son is dead, Clifford."

"Could you at least have found someone who doesn't look like she's one of Cheryl's goddamn cheerleader friends?"

"Clifford!"

Clifford addressed Veronica this time. "Thank you for coming out. We'll reimburse you for your travel."

He started to turn away, but Veronica stopped him. "Mr. Blossom, I think you're overlooking something here."

Clifford stopped and looked back at her. "What is that, Ms. Mars?"

"On the phone, Mrs. Blossom mentioned you suspect a student might have something to do with your son's death."

"Yes, that's right."

"Then who better to go undercover than, in your own words, someone who looks like one of Cheryl's goddamn cheerleader friends?"

Clifford tensed but held his tongue. "Penelope, you deal with this. I'm going to talk to the sheriff." He walked away briskly, leaving Veronica alone with Penelope and Cheryl.

"Pardon my husband, he grieves differently," Penelope apologized. "Do you what need to do. Money is no object. I want regular reports via my email, which Cheryl can provide you. You will obtain results, or you will be dismissed. Understood."

Veronica eyed Penelope curiously. "Yes, ma'am."

Penelope trotted off in the direction her husband had left. Veronica turned to face Cheryl.

"Guess we're gonna be best friends."

"Can you ever cheer?"

Veronica put on her best plastic smile. "Ready? Okay!"

Cheryl's face contorted into something between a smile and a sneer. "Oh God, how am I going to pass you off as River Vixen material?"

"It's not the first time I've worn a cheer skirt." Meg Manning had once loaned Veronica her outfit after a cruel high school prank left her with no other options for what to wear.

"You're too nice. That's even less believable for a Vixen. I'm the HBIC, so you'd better get mean."

Veronica gave the redhead a sly grin. "Don't worry. I'm a professional."


	2. Girl Talk

_Ah, Riverdale. The poor man's Neptune. Which is as misleading as most rhetoric. It's not like they're poor by any means. In fact, it seems like there's some shady dealings that involve Riverdale's elite, including the Blossoms, another family called the Lodges, and a less affluent small construction company run by a Fred Andrews. I could start a Mars Investigations franchise here._

Veronica was making notes in a small reporter's notebook that she kept with her at all times. Not Moleskine. Her dad always teased her about them because she couldn't pronounce the company's name right. _It's MOLE-SKIN, Dad!_

A series of snaps from the self-proclaimed HBIC broke Veronica's focus. "Veronica, look alive."

The limo pulled up to the school, and Cheryl stepped out first. Veronica scooted out after her and couldn't help but smile at the building. _Oh, high school. Every time I think I'm out, you pull me back in._

Veronica had grown in every sense since graduating high school, but now she was back to her roots. Short blonde hair pulled back, olive drab jacket, and her trademark bag (with a taser hidden inside for good measure).

She skipped the first two classes gratefully and used the time to snoop around the boys' locker room. Jason had been the darling of the Riverdale football team, and if anyone had juicy clues hidden right under her nose, it would be his less than cunning jock friends.

Sadly, nothing but jock straps and Axe body spray lined the teenagers' lockers, and Veronica didn't care to stick around for either of them. When second period ended, Cheryl caught her in the hallway. The girl took her by the arm and whispered, "Find anything?"

"No, not yet. I'm good, but two hours is a record for murder solving that even I'm not at yet. Though I did solve a theoretical murder investigation in six minutes…"

"Hush, Vixens incoming."

Two girls approached in gym clothes. The first was a blonde with a ponytail, and Veronica swore she was the real-life inspiration for Brittany from _Glee_. The other girl seemed like a rival for Cheryl's mean girl crown. She was a brunette, definitely Latina, and definitely pissed.

"Veronica, I want you to meet Betty and… Veronica."

 _I swear to God, if the blonde one is Veronica, I'm catching the next plane out of here._

"Veronica Lodge," the brunette said hastily as reached her hand out, solidifying herself as runner-up to wear Cheryl's ice queen crown. _Lodge, you say? Hello, first suspect._

"Veronica Reynolds," she said taking the teen's hand. In the moment, she'd used her mother's maiden name. It didn't fit her. "Would either of you mind showing me where my next class is? Cheryl has to run."

Cheryl looked like she might protest but caught onto the intent. "She's Vixen material. Take care of her like she were your own embezzled money, Lodge."

She strolled off, and Veronica was left with her two new squadmates. "I'm sorry, I hope you don't have to go out of your way just to help the new girl find her way."

Betty shook her head. "We're headed to history. It's just right there." She gestured to a lone door just behind Veronica's right shoulder. She glanced at the room number and turned back to the girls with mock surprise.

"205? That's where I'm headed!"

Veronica Lodge led them to a group of seats at the back of the room. She put on her best closed lipped smile and focused her attention on Veronica. "For the record, you can just call me Ronnie. It'll help avoid some confusion." She leaned in closer. "You know, I'm a new girl, too. I moved here a couple weeks ago and joined the River Vixens with Betty. It's a great way to get involved, even if Cheryl runs it like a prison camp."

"Were you around when, you know, Cheryl's brother…?"

Ronnie shook her head. "Nope. My mom and I got here shortly after. It's the first local gossip I heard here. People say Cheryl hasn't always been this heartless, so here's hoping she just has a funny way of grieving."

"That's crazy I imagine you didn't just come over from the next town over if that wasn't in the news."

"Not even close. We're New Yorkers, but Mom grew up in Riverdale, so she booked our flights without even thinking about another place to go."

Veronica would have to check into the Lodges' alibis, but it seemed unlikely that Ronnie or her mom would fly into Riverdale just to murder the kid of a family they hadn't yet met.

"Where are you from, Veronica?" The question caught her off guard. It was Betty who asked this time.

"I'm a New Yorker, too. I'm actually hoping to go back eventually to do law school at Columbia." Veronica had learned that half-truths were easier to maintain than full-blown lies. She had knowledge of the city and Columbia University, plus she hoped it would form a connection with Ronnie Lodge. She was right.

The brunette's face lit up. "Oh my god. Someone who understands! I mean, I like it here and all, but sometimes I just crave a slice from Pasquale Jones."

Lower Manhattan. Probably Tribeca. "I've always wanted to go. My dad and I were Upper East Side, so we didn't go to Little Italy much." _This way she knows I'm not as rich and won't expect me to be wearing Versace at the next party._

"Well, Veronica, welcome to Riverdale. Maybe after practice today you can come by Pop's with us."

"What's Pop's?"

"That's a great idea!" Betty chimed in. "Pop's is a diner. Best milkshakes in the state."

Ronnie nodded to the blonde. "Text the boys, see if they're free."

Boys. A group. And who keeps secrets better than a group of friends? Hopefully she could find out something then. She certainly didn't expect that the first clique she met was going full-out _How To Get Away With Murder_. In fact, she doubted a student would be behind the murder at all, but a painful memory of Beaver Cassidy was all it took to remind her that anyone was capable of anything.


	3. Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

_Veronica Reynolds. Popular girl. Cheerleader. New York elite. Not a bad undercover assignment if you take out the boring classes that I do in my sleep._

She was walking with her new best friends, Veronica "Ronnie" Lodge and Betty Cooper, en route to River Vixens practice. On their way, a tall, beefy redheaded guy waved at them.

"Hey, Ronnie. Betts. Who's this?" His smile was as broad as his shoulders and as genuine as a Nebraska farm boy's.

Ronnie put her hand on Veronica's shoulder. "Archiekins, meet Veronica. She's my long lost city sister."

The boy eyed her curiously. "Two new Veronicas in one year. Weird. It's nice to meet you. I'm Archie." He shook her hand, and Veronica shamed herself for even wondering to herself whether he was eighteen. _You are not old enough to be a cougar, Veronica Mars. Stand down._

After he left, they resumed their walk, and Ronnie was all talk again. "Betty's had a thing for Archie since forever. They've been besties since childhood. She's a regular Mary Jane Watson."

Veronica gave an honest chuckle. Betty gave off every indication of being the girl next door, and she could appreciate a good Spiderman reference with the best of them, but she doubted that either girl had ever actually picked up a comic book.

When they got to the gym, Veronica was pleased to see that it was just as big and well-maintained as Neptune High's. _Take that 09ers. Twin Peaks, Jr. is just as cool as you._ Cheryl was already there, and she waited for them with hands on her hips.

"Look who's late. And you're dragging poor Veronica down with you."

Veronica spoke up. "It's okay, Cheryl. I kept stopping them to ask questions."

Her new friends shot her a look of approval. _Standing up for my girls. I just got street cred._

Cheryl shrugged it off. "Fine. Take a seat, Veronica. Everyone else, get in formation."

Betty frowned. "Isn't Veronica joining the squad?"

"You should know better than anyone," Cheryl sneered. "that it's not that easy to get on the team. She hasn't even tried out yet."

Ronnie took Veronica's hand. "I'll do it with you if you need a partner."

Cheryl and Veronica exchanged a look of panic. Veronica sat on the bleachers and hunched over. "No, I really shouldn't. I… I'm cramping."

A few of the girls gave her sympathetic sighs and nods. The matter was dropped, and Cheryl began running the Vixens through their routine.

"Five, six, seven, eight! Forward. To me… Betty, stay on beat!"

Veronica was grateful that she was on Cheryl's side. It wasn't that Veronica hadn't been bullied or couldn't take it, but at the end of the day, she just didn't want to.

"Turn and kick… Lodge, you think this is a game? Back from the top! You can thank Veronica for having to start over… Ready? Five, six, seven, eight!"

Veronica checked her watch. She couldn't wait to get out to the diner and get the scoop from Betty and Ronnie's friends. With any luck, they'd all be gossips and journalists, and she would solve the case tonight. _A girl can dream, right?_ Besides, the longer she stayed, the more time she'd have to spend faking cheerleading talent and fending off drama. And as far as Veronica was concerned, bitchy cheerleaders were _so_ 2004.


	4. The Malt-ese Falcon

_It's weird talking about your first day of school after graduating more than once. I'm finally cool! Are you proud of me?_

 _I always knew my little girl was an 09er at heart. No one asks for a pony that much._

 _Yo, Pops. They got a Pop's here._

 _?_

 _It's a diner. If I get stuck in the 50s, send help._

Veronica slipped her phone back into her pocket. It felt good talking to her dad, to have some string still attached to Neptune. Logan was overseas until next month, so she'd been spending more time at work and with Keith until the Blossoms rang.

Pop's diner was exactly as she'd expected it to be. Milkshakes, a jukebox, waiters with the silly hats, and Pop Tate himself, a large man whose graying hair stood out against his dark skin.

The girls placed their orders, and a few minutes later, two teenaged boys walked in. She recognized one as Archie, and the other was a lanky, dark-haired kid with a gray beanie. As they approached, Veronica could see the wear on the hat, indicating its frequent use and washes. This guy was clearly the type that didn't take that hat off for anything.

"Hi, Juggie!" Betty's mouth turned into a wide smile as the dark-haired boy approached. He sat next to her, and Archie joined the Veronicas.

"This is Jughead," Betty offered. "Jug, this is Veronica."

The boy with the hat, Jughead, groaned. "Oh God, there's two of you? Pinch me I must be dreaming. No, wait, it's a nightmare."

Veronica smiled warmly at Jughead, hoping that appreciation of his wit would put her in his good graces. She turned to business. "So, what kinds of clubs are there at school? I really want to find some good extracurriculars."

"Well," Archie started. "I play football. Betty and Veronica are cheerleaders…"

"Jughead and I write for the _Blue and Gold_ ," Betty interjected.

"What's that?"

"The school newspaper," Jughead sighed. "I'm more of a prose person, but Betty dragged me into helping her look into Jason Blossom's murder.

 _Bingo._

"Maybe I could help you guys. I was a photographer for the paper at my old school." Another truth. She was surprised how little she'd had to make up on the spot, but then Veronica remembered she'd have to put together a cheer routine in the next few days.

"That would be awesome," Betty said wide-eyed. "And it'll be good to have someone else you can trust. You and Ronnie are the only ones who weren't here when it happened."

Veronica gave a sweet smile, but for the first time since arriving in Riverdale, she was more excited on the inside than the outside.

Not only did she have an in, but these were people she could work with. An intrepid blonde and her charming male sidekick team up to solve a murder in the town's most affluent family? She could relate.


	5. Kindred Spirits

_The Blue and Gold_ was housed in as innocuous a classroom as any other. A computers, flash drives, cameras, and specialty paper lay strewn about the room, but it didn't seem like anyone but Betty and Jughead actually ever used the space.

Veronica set her things down as Betty guided her around the room, explaining how her parents were journalists, and how her mom had made the school paper what it was today. She offered Veronica use of the school's photojournalism equipment, but Veronica insisted on using her own.

"Where to first?" Veronica asked Betty, eager to get on with the case. Her new friends were pleasant, to be sure, but they were still teenagers.

"How about you start with telling us who you are?"

She turned around to see Jughead twirling her taser in his hand. She tried keeping up the charade. "I'm probably not supposed to have that here, am I? I went out and bought it as soon as I heard a kid had been murdered –"

"Save it," Jughead interrupted. "I noticed yesterday something was weird with you. Too formal, a few small creases in your face. How old are you?"

Betty spoke up. "Jug, stop it! What's wrong with you?"

He didn't relent. "You can't fool an abused kid when it comes to body language. Who are you?"

"Veronica, I'm so sorry…"

"No, Betty. He's right." Veronica took a deep breath and hoped she wasn't in the presence of a murderer. "My name is Veronica Mars. I'm a private investigator from Neptune, California. The Blossoms hired me to look into Jason's death." She kept eye contact with Jughead, wanting to prove she was telling the truth. Finally, he nodded.

"Well, Betts, this operation just got a little more legit."

"Mars… why do I know that name? I know my mom is always looking through articles…"

Veronica shrugged. "The Bonnie DeVille murder? Aurora Scott kidnapping?"

"Oh my God, that _you_?!" Betty looked like she might shriek. Or hug her. Maybe both. "I have to tell my mom…"

"No," Veronica said sternly. "No one else can know. Not even your friends. The more people who know, the less I'm able to do my job." Veronica could be the adult in the room when occasion called for it, and today she was literally and figuratively the only adult.

"Besides, it's not like your parents are exactly in the clear," Jughead added. "I think your mom might die if she doesn't curse Jason Blossom at least twice a day."

 _Whoa. Major red flag._ "Why do your parents hate Jason Blossom?"

Betty looked around, then closed the classroom door. "Jason dated my sister Polly. He meant everything to Polly, but she meant nothing to him. When they broke up, it ruined her, and my parents sent her off to some house for wayward girls. I haven't seen her in months."

"What are your parents' names?" Veronica strode over to her bag and pulled out her reporter's notebook.

"Um, Hal and Alice Cooper."

 _Alice Cooper, right on._ She flipped to a clean page and wrote out three names:

 _Hal Cooper_

 _Alice Cooper_

 _Polly Cooper_

For a moment, she considered writing Betty's name, but she closed the notebook and hoped her hunch to trust Betty was justified.

"Okay," Veronica said at last. "Betty, I need you to find out everything you can. Why they broke up, if they said anything to each other before Jason's death, where your parents sent her… We need all of it, okay?"

Betty nodded.

"And what are you going to do?" It was Jughead now, his eyes still skeptical.

"I'm going to talk with your friendly neighborhood sheriff."

"Sheriff Keller?" Betty asked. "He's not going to be in a good mood. His son Kevin texted me this morning and told me his murder board had been swiped last night when everyone was at the drive-in."

"It was the hurrah before Archie's dad tears it down for his bigshot client," Jughead said morosely.

Veronica made a few more notes.

 _Sheriff Keller – Kevin, son_

 _Missing murder board – perp could not have been at movies_

"Okay," Veronica sighed. "We're going to have to hit the ground running, but I have a good feeling about this one."

"Why's that?" The other two spoke almost in unison. They were kind of cute together, if Veronica was being honest.

"The first time I solved a murder, I was working for _my_ school paper." She smiled warmly at them and hoped they were trustworthy. "It's nice to have a good team."

 _Maybe one day they'll look back on this and say "Veronica Mars? We know her. A long time ago, we used to be friends."_


	6. Better than Lambs

Sheriff Keller leaned back in his chair. "So you're the Blossoms' PI?" He was probably handsome in his youth, in a very rugged, militaristic way. His chin jutted out at an impressive angle, and the gray of his hair was kept neatly under his sheriff's hat.

"I'm Veronica Mars, yes. I'm not here to step on your toes, Sheriff, but I would like to collaborate."

Keller raised his hand. "Don't worry, I'm not angry. Not at you anyways. This whole case has been a shit show from day one. Not to mention what happened last night… Kevin was with me, then."

He gave a general acknowledgement to his son, who rested up against another desk in the room. The kid was lean, and his face held the same strong lines and contours, albeit in a much younger state. Veronica had explained her uncover work to the sheriff but was a little uneasy knowing that another student knew her identity. Sensing Veronica's hesitation, Kevin spoke up. "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone. I've gotten good at being discreet."

"Son, you know I support you, but this lady doesn't need to know about your sex life."

"Dad!" Kevin squeaked. "I meant because I'm the sheriff's son!"

"Oh."

Veronica suppressed a smile. It was refreshing to see a hardened, law enforcement type like Keller have such a healthy relationship with his son and his sexuality. "Betty Cooper and Jughead Jones know. They're the ones who told me you'd had some trouble last night."

Kevin's eyes lit up, and Veronica imagined that just because he could keep a secret didn't mean he didn't want to gossip about it. "So tell me what happened," she prompted.

"Not much to say," Kevin shrugged. "We were at the drive-in for the final showing. Hell, most everyone was. When we came back, the place was trashed, and all of Dad's work was just gone."

"Could someone have left during the movie and come back?"

Sheriff Keller shook his head. "The drive-in had a no reentry policy. Whoever was there at the beginning and the end was there the whole time."

Veronica pulled out her notebook and a pen. "Is there anyone you can remember specifically being there?" Ruling out as many people as possible was just as important as finding out who wasn't there.

Keller sighed. "Hermione Lodge and Fred Andrews. They seemed to be… together. Alice Cooper showed up and made some ruckus, as she usually does. Bunch of South Side Serpents, but that's nothing new. Kevin?"

"I was with Veronica Lodge and Cheryl Blossom. Jughead was working the booth. And there was this one Serpent… Joaquin. He definitely was there the whole time."

Keller raised his eyebrow but didn't say anything.

"Okay," Veronica said, feeling slightly overwhelmed. "First, who are the South Side Serpents?"

"Biker gang." Keller answered. "Small time offenses for the most part. They loved that drive-in. Started showing up there more in the last six months or so."

Veronica made a note. _Serpents = Riverdale PCHers._ "You said Alice Cooper made a scene. Do you know what it was about?"

Keller shook his head and looked over to his son who just shrugged.

"What about Hal Cooper? The Blossoms?"

"Didn't see any of them," Keller said, standing up. "You'll have to excuse me, Ms. Mars, but I've got a few rounds to make. You've got my number if you need anything else."

"Thanks, both of you. I'll see you around school, Kev!" She gave him an exaggerated wide-mouthed grin, then tucked the notebook away and walked out of the little station.


	7. Puzzle Pieces

Betty and Jughead were already in a booth sharing a single milkshake at Pop's when Veronica arrived. _Ah, a wholesome teen romance in the works. Nothing brings those crazy kids together like a murder investigation._

"I'm trying to account for as many people as possible during last night's movie." Veronica explained once she'd ordered a chocolate shake a large burger. "Betty, your mom apparently showed up and made a fuss over Hemione Lodge and Fred Andrews. Did you see her last night?"

Betty nodded. "She'd discovered something about Archie Andrews…" She hesitated. "Apparently, he was seeing the music teacher."

"I wonder if vocals are her specialty," Jughead joked with a wry smile.

"Jug!" Betty slapped his arm. "Anyways, we thought she might be involved because she had a gun and a fake name."

 _Yeah, that's usually a good sign,_ Veronica thought to herself.

Betty continued."It turned out that she was on the run from an abusive ex. It all checked out, and Archie could vouch for her whereabouts, so she just said she'd leave town and not cause anymore trouble."

"Who else was there?"

Betty shrugged. "Just me, my mom, Archie, and his dad… And Ms. Grundy herself, obviously."

Veronica screwed up her face. "Hal Cooper wasn't there? I'd imagine that if my spouse was going after my daughter's childhood friend and his lover, I'd want to be there."

"No," Betty said slowly. "He wasn't there."

Veronica scratched some names off a list and made a few extra notes. She'd compiled a more substantive list of movie goers after cross-referencing ticket sales, security camera footage, and eyewitness accounts. Kevin wasn't lying when he said most of the town had been there. She'd made two lists – one of the confirmed patrons, and one of notable people missing. The missing list was short:

 _Hal Cooper_

 _Penelope Blossom_

 _Clifford Blossom_

 _"_ _Nana" Blossom – last resort suspect_

 _Riverdale football team_

At this point, there weren't many people with a clear motive, so she'd focused on anyone who knew Jason Blossom more intimately – his family, the Coopers, and his teammates.

"There's more," Jughead muttered almost reluctantly. "We found out where Betty's sister was shipped off to."

Veronica turned her attention to the other blonde, who nodded and spoke slowly. "My dad said that after Jason broke up with her, Polly tried to kill herself. They sent her to a place called _The Sisters of Quiet Mercy_."

 _But are these nuns more Sister Act or Magdalene Laundries?_ Veronica imagined they were standard nuns, somewhere in between musical numbers and physical abuse. "Do you want me to go with you?"

Betty shook her head. "It'll be easier on my own. She's my sister."

"I'm not letting you go alone," Jughead stated. "I'll at least keep an eye out."

Betty smiled warmly at him, and while it was a tender moment, it took Veronica's every bit of impulse control not to yell " _Just kiss him already!"_

They chatted more conversationally after that, with Veronica reviewing her notes from time to time. What if Jason's death hadn't been about him but his family? Who would gain from the Blossoms' tragedy.

Shareholders? Yes, but Blossom Maple Farms was privately owned by the family, and it struck Veronica as wild that one of Jason's relatives would have killed him just to shake up the family business.

The Lodges? That seemed more likely. The appearance of the New York family was odd to be sure, but they hadn't been around for the murder itself, and both "Ronnie" and Hermione had been seen at the drive-in. That wasn't to say that the Lodges hadn't hired anyone, but she didn't have anything concrete to go on either.

Veronica made a note to herself to pay the Lodges a visit. Perhaps she'd learn something as Veronica Reynolds, but even that was a long shot.

When it was time to leave, Betty stood and hugged Veronica. "I'm scared."

"You're just going to see your sister. Don't worry about anything else."

Betty nodded, and they separated. She started walking away and was almost out the door when Jughead paused in front of Veronica. "I'm not a hugger."

"Fair enough," Veronica laughed. As he turned to leave, she grabbed his arm. "Find out where Hal Blossom was the night of the drive-in."

Jughead nodded with comprehension, stuffed his hands in his pockets, and followed Betty out of the diner.


	8. Crimson Pique

_You know how in horror movies the girl decides to sleep in the creepy house, even though she should know that she's just asking for trouble? That's yours truly._

 _Need a handsome Victorian gent to rescue you?_ It was the first time Veronica had been able to talk to Logan since she arrived in Riverdale.

 _The Blossom "house" is huuuge, and every time I round a corner, I go into a fighting stance just in case Nana Blossom is there waiting to kill me._

 _You should invest in a ninja sword. Amazon Now reach Riverdale yet?_

 _I'll investigate. Later sailor!_

 _Love you._

Veronica was staying with the Blossoms temporarily while she worked the case. They had already informed her that if the case wasn't wrapped up by the start of maple season, she would have to rent a room at the City Centre Motor Hotel for the duration of her stay, as family would be coming in for the first tapping of the season.

Rich people coming in from across the country to stab a tree and watch it essentially bleed felt like a metaphor to Veronica, but she didn't have time to think on it. She had sprawled all her notes, photos and other evidence on immaculately made bed and was sifting through them, looking for connections.

There was a knock on the door, and Cheryl Blossom entered wearing a nightdress that looked unsurprisingly like a shift a ghost might wear in a theatrical production. "Hi, Veronica."

"Hey. Good timing. Do you know where your parents were the night of the drive-in's last showing?"

Cheryl shook her head. "No. I ended up there with Lodge and the gay kid. It was weird, but fun."

Veronica frowned. She'd been able to account for the whereabouts of every member of the football team that night, which only left the Blossoms and Hal Cooper as likely suspects for the theft of Sheriff Keller's murder board.

"Is everything okay?"

Veronica snapped back to reality. "Yeah, it's fine. What do you know about the South Side Serpents? Sheriff Keller said they started hanging out around the drive-in lot only recently."

Cheryl made a sneer. "They're drunks and thugs. A bunch of them were being boisterous, but Veronica Lodge shut them up. Funny, considering her mom's history."

That caught her attention. "Hermione Lodge? What does she have to do with the Serpents?"

Cheryl sat on the edge of the bed and whispered conspiratorially. "I saw Mrs. Lodge talking to one of them at Pop's. They were having some argument. I told sweet, innocent Ronnie about it, but she didn't believe me. How naive…"

Veronica picked up a report she had printed out about the drive-in property. It had seen a decline in sales in the past five or six months, lining up with the time frame Keller had given her regarding the increased presence of the Serpents. The drive-in owner had been forced to sell last month at a low-balled price to keep from losing any more money.

Flash-forward a couple weeks after the anonymous purchase, and the wealthy, real-estate developing Lodges move to Riverdale just in time for construction to begin on the site. Things were starting to look less like a coincidence.

But even then, it didn't solve Veronica's case. The Lodges still had no motive for killing Jason Blossom that she could see. The Blossoms hadn't put an offer on the property, and Jason didn't seem to have any ties to the drive-in itself.

Still, she decided that having a word with the other Veronica was the next step in getting answers.

"Cheryl, do you remember what this Serpent looked like?"

"Even better. I took a picture." She pulled out her phone and tapped it a few times before handing it to Veronica. Hermione Lodge was dressed in a waitress' outfit, and in front of her stood a tall man with dark, slicked back hair and a black leather jacket. Veronica couldn't help but think he bore a striking resemblance to TV's Silas Weir Mitchell. (Yes, she'd watched _Grimm,_ an admission she had defended more than once to friends. _Have you seen David Giuntoli? He could get it._ )

"Would you mind sending me that?"

Cheryl chose Veronica's name and hit send. Veronica's phone vibrated in confirmation. She thanked Cheryl for the image before the redhead gave Veronica an extremely awkward hug and went to bed.

The PI surveyed her evidence again. What was the New York socialite doing with a guy from the wrong side of the track? Veronica picked up her phone and sent a message to Cheryl. _Would you mind printing that pic? I might get lost if I try to find a printer in this place._

 _NP girlie!_

Veronica cocked her head and furrowed her brow. Cheryl did remember they were investigating her brother's murder, right? The girl was weird, but in comparison to everything else about the Blossoms, she might have been the most normal part about them.

Veronica cleared the bed and settled in for the night. She turned off the lamp by the bed and tried not to feel terrified, which was a nightly ritual for her. She heard a noise, and her heart skipped a beat before she realized it was the sound of a paper being slipped under her door. _Thanks for the heart attack, Cheryl._

Veronica closed her eyes and hoped that sleep would come quickly.


	9. GNO

"A sleepover?" Ronnie's eyes lit up. "You know, I haven't hosted a proper girls' night since I've been here. But if I had to set an agenda… Dinner at Pop's, then dancing at the Roving Eye, followed by _Breakfast at Tiffany's_ at my place while we catch up on gossip."

"Sounds perfect!" Veronica's smile was genuine, not because it was her perfect girls' night idea, but because of Ronnie's enthusiasm. It was a joy to watch the Latina's mind at work, and Veronica sincerely hoped she hadn't used that brain to help kill Jason Blossom.

"Yeah, sounds fun," Betty said less excitedly. She gave Veronica a curious look, knowing there had to be some ulterior motive but not quite placing it. She and Jughead were going to visit Polly Cooper the next day, but Veronica hadn't told the younger blonde what she had been up to on her front.

"Pop's. Seven o'clock. And get sexed up or don't bother coming out, got it?" Veronica gave her name twin a mock salute. "You got it, boss!"

When Ronnie left, Betty leaned over. "What's going on? I really doubt this is just about you wanting to go out with a couple high schoolers."

They were nearing the end of lunch, and Veronica had been lucky to breach the topic of girls' night at all with the way Veronica Lodge carried on. She was friendly to say the least, and finding a time when Ronnie stopped talking to breathe was like finding a gas station pump that hadn't run out of receipt paper. Rare.

The bell rang for class as Veronica started to speak, so instead she told Betty, "I'll fill you in later," as the two parted ways.

Luckily, Veronica didn't share any classes with her new friends in the afternoons, so she was able to slip out after lunch without being noticed. River Vixens had been scheduled for three afternoons out of the week, and Veronica had avoided them so she wouldn't have to go through the embarrassment of tryouts. With luck, she wouldn't need to go back at all.

What she did have to worry about was getting ready for tonight. The last time she could remember being at a slumber party was for Gia Goodman. Of course, it hadn't been for pleasure, and Veronica only attended as part of her investigation into a child abuse case. Shortly after, she discovered that the child suffering was none other than Grace Manning…

Veronica shivered, remembering how she'd found Grace in a closet and then how she'd seen her again years later broken and bruised after a violent rape. They talked occasionally now, about serious and not so serious things. It felt good to keep that connection with her, in spite of the circumstances that had brought them together.

When Veronica returned to Thorn Hill, she texted Cheryl for help. _Confronting the Lodges tonight. Do you have something I could wear to a place called the Roving Eye?_

 _Girls' night. Fun._ Even over text, Veronica thought she could hear the mix of sarcasm and jealousy. _Look in my closet. Take your pick. Just get some answers._

Fifteen minutes later (ten of which were spent finding Cheryl Blossom's closet), Veronica had selected a dress for the night and a matching pair of shoes. She went back to her quarters and changed into the new outfit. She zipped up the back of the dress, and when she went over to the mirror, Veronica was pleased with the look.

The dress itself was a black cocktail dress that stopped at an angle just above the knee. There was a mesh cut-out between the breasts that wasn't overly revealing, and at the top, the fabric crossed shoulders and met in the back. She'd also chosen a pair of black suede pumps that were comfortable enough for dancing, which she expected would be inevitable as part of Ronnie's girls' night.

At 6:45, Veronica grabbed her usual bag (which she had filled with additional supplies for the sleepover) as well as a smaller purse for the club. She left Thorn Hill in Logan's BMW and arrived at Pop's at seven exactly. Betty and Ronnie were already waiting for her, and Veronica was glad that she'd chosen one of Cheryl's outfits to compete with the two teens. Betty wore a pink dress that was tighter than Veronica would have expected of the blonde but fit well and was matched with nude pumps. Ronnie's outfit, unsurprisingly, demanded attention the way its owner did – presense. The cocktail dress was a sleeveless, purple number covered in sequins. The brunette had also chosen pearls and a pair of short stilettos to complete the look. Veronica hated to admit to herself, but going out on the town and looking hot with her 'gal pals' was more than a little exciting. Veronica had never had many friends, much less female ones, much less ones who enjoyed clubbing. She imagined Mac, who was undoubtedly eating chips and drinking whiskey by her computer right now, out on the town. The thought made her laugh and added to her excitement.

After dinner, which Veronica kept free of interrogation, the three women piled into Veronica's BMW and made their way to the Roving Eye. Ronnie flashed the bouncer a smile at the door. "Hi, Tony. It's three tonight." She slipped some cash into Tony's jacket pocket and the group entered without any trouble. Ronnie continued her quest to impress by passing her credit card to one of the bartenders, who obediently entered it, started a tab, and placed a 'Reserved' maker on one of the VIP booths. He came back and poured three shots, the sight of which made Veronica a little uneasy.

"To us!" Ronnie said proudly, and Veronica forced herself not to retort, _to underage drinking!_ They clinked glassware and downed the alcohol easily. Ronnie led her friends to the dance floor, and they began to let loose, dancing with each other and the occasional guy that Ronnie deemed worthy of joining them. After about five songs, Ronnie signaled the bartender, and he sent another round of shots with a server out to them. Veronica gulped down the vodka, and a part of worried that one more mixed with her blonde hair would make her into a full-blown sorority girl.

She couldn't deny that she was having fun, but her deductive mind never stopped working, and her need to observe powered on. She hadn't seen someone flaunt their money so casually in years; even though Logan was well-off, he'd stopped being driven by it since joining the Navy. The way Ronnie did it was so effortless, too, that it never seemed like she was trying to make a statement. She was simply a rich girl from New York, and this was how things were done. What lengths would a family like hers go to in order to keep that lifestyle? In Neptune, there were few lines that wouldn't be crossed, not even murder was a universal boundary, but Veronica earnestly hoped that Ronnie Lodge and her family were far from that line.


	10. Sleep No More

Three shots in, and Veronica was losing her sharpness. She didn't notice a man come up behind her, until his hand was on her waist. She whirled around, and the guy threw his hands up playfully. "Whoa, blondie. Just trying to get my party on." It wasn't the only time it happened, and when the third asshole grabbed her just a little too low, she turned around and balled her hands into fists. "Hey, babe. I got this idea about you going down and –"

"The only thing going down is you with fifty thousand volts if you don't back off. Got it, _babe_?"

The man almost tripped over himself backing away, and she could hear Betty laughing behind her. "You're my hero, Veronica."

The trio pushed through the crowd of sweaty late teens and twenty-somethings and collapsed into their reserved booth. Betty asked a passing server for water, and about a minute later, he returned with a pitcher of water and three short glasses.

"I'm exhausted," Betty moaned as she removed her left shoe and rubbed the heel of her foot.

Ronnie looked tired. "Don't quit on me now, we've still got a long night ahead of us."

"Can the rest be at your place?" Betty pouted.

Veronica's mind snapped into focus. They couldn't leave yet. She needed to question Ronnie while she was off guard. "How about we take a few minutes for Betty's feet and then call an Uber."

Ronnie pointed a finger at her. "Responsible. I like it. You're a good friend, Veronica."

Veronica was fighting to keep the alcohol from buzzing about her brain while simultaneously acting the part. "I get why you don't like Cheryl. She tried telling me that your mom was chatting up some gangbanger at Pop's the other night. But, like, come on. Your _mom_? She's loaded."

"You think Hermione is some sort of saint?" The consonants ran together as Ronnie spat out the remark. She glanced at both girls then leaned forward. "To be honest, tonight is about screwing over that bitch as much as hanging out with my favorite girls."

"What do you mean?" Betty asked. Two information junkies were better than one.

"I caught Mom making out with Archie's dad. He gave her a job at his company, and I guess she couldn't keep it in her pants."

"Gross," Veronica said sympathetically.

"I _know_ , right? And now she wants me to sign something to give Fred Andrews the contract for the SoDale project."

Veronica froze. "What do you mean? Did Hermione buy the drive-in?"

"Of course not. Daddy is the anonymous buyer." The words were out of her mouth before she'd realized what she said. "You can't tell anyone I said that," she said gravely.

Betty and Veronica nodded then exchanged looks. A new family waltzes into town and buys up land? That could cause serious tension if the Blossoms had found out. Veronica made a note to find out from Penelope and Clifford what they knew about the drive-in and the "SoDale" project.

"So did your mom meet with a Serpent?" Veronica couldn't let that question slide. Ronnie nodded slowly, deciding whether to go all in. "Fuck it, you two could already ruin me if you wanted. Yeah, she was paying them off. Apparently, dear old Dad hired them to hang around the drive-in to drive the price down for the lot."

 _Bam, said the lady!_ One more piece fit itself snugly into the puzzle. The Serpents' presence wasn't coincidence, it was business. They were tied to the Lodges, who were trying to tie themselves up with Andrews Construction, and none of them were exactly friends of the Blossoms. The case was quickly becoming more about corporate espionage than she imagined.

When they'd finally gotten a lift to the Lodges' home, all three women were exhausted. "What do you say," Ronnie began. "We skip the movie and just talk until we pass out?"

There was pathetic chorus of nods and "uh huh" before they settled in. Ronnie stripped off her dress in front of the group and shimmied into a blue silk slip. Betty and Veronica weren't exactly prudish, but they both hesitated before changing in full view. They'd both chosen t-shirts and shorts, but Betty's shorts read 'PINK' across the back, and Veronica's shirt had the image of Rocky saying "Yo Adrian."

They discussion everything from music to boys to Cheryl Blossom. In the end, Betty slept on the bed with Ronnie and Veronica on an air mattress. It had been a hard fight to win – "It's king size Veronica! We'll make room!" – but Veronica was adamant in taking the floor. No matter the circumstances, sharing a bed with two sixteen-year-old girls was something she wanted to avoid.

It was sometime around two or three in the morning when Veronica fell into a restful sleep and sometime after that when she felt a hand close around her mouth.


	11. Revelations

Before Veronica could react, she heard a voice saying "Don't scream. It's me." She looked up and saw Betty hovering over her. Veronica breathed a sigh of relief and nodded. Betty removed her hand, and Betty motioned for her to get up. Veronica stumbled to her feet, noticing that Ronnie was nowhere to be seen. The two blondes snuck quietly out of Ronnie's room and down the hall. Veronica could hear voices, quiet but sharp.

"Your boyfriend gets the contract. You won!"

"Don't be so shortsighted."

"You have to tell Dad."

"You know it's not that easy."

The two investigators flanked the open archway to the living room. Veronica peered out and saw Hermione and Veronica Lodge in a heated argument. Ronnie was pacing angrily, her arms crossed. Hermione sat on the couch with a glass of wine in one hand and looked cool despite the situation.

"This is insane."

Hermione shot back, "What's insane is your irresponsibility. Clubbing, drinking, girls we don't know? Do you know much your little adventure cost? Do you know what it could have cost us?"

"I knew Daddy was guilty, but I didn't know you were so deep in this shit!"

"Veronica!"

"Do you know how dangerous this is? Talking to gang members..."

"FP is an old friend. He never would have hurt me."

Ronnie rolled her eyes. "So the argument at the diner? At the drive-in?"

"Just business."

Betty snapped her head back to Veronica. She beckoned her to follow, and they snuck back to Ronnie's room.

"I know who Hermione was talking to. The guy from the Serpents." Her voice was uneasy, like she wasn't sure she should continue.

"And?"

"FP Jones is Jughead's dad."

This place was as incestuous as Neptune. Everyone was connected, which meant no one was innocent. "This is going to get awkward."

When morning finally came, the girls parted ways. Ronnie had gotten an Uber for Veronica so that she could pick up the BMW from the club. In the light of day, Ronnie's hospitality was giving her the same slimy feeling that the Kanes once had.

Veronica returned to Thorn Hill to lay out her plans. There were a few things she knew she had to do. She started a to-do list:

 _Hal Cooper alibi for night of drive-in_

 _Penelope and Clifford alibi for night of drive-in_

 _Check in with Betty and Jughead after Polly visit today_

 _Talk to FP Jones_

Veronica had no idea how involved Jughead's dad was, but she was somewhat relieved that he and Hermione had apparently been arguing at the drive-in when the theft of Keller's evidence had taken place. At least she wouldn't have to call him a suspect in front of Jughead just yet.

Cheryl burst into her room, her eyes puffy and lips pouted. Veronica remembered what else was happening today and made a note.

 _Attend Jason Blossom's memorial._

"Veronica, I can't do this."

The investigator closed her notebook and patted the bed next to her. Cheryl sat and leaned her head on Veronica. "I'm not even supposed to speak today. How am I supposed to just sit there while they talk about Jason like he was just some perfect kid? Who cares about being captain of the football team? Isn't who he was more important than that?"

Veronica didn't know what to say. "In my experience, funerals are for the living. You can remember Jason however you'd like."

"You're right," Cheryl nodded, straightening up. "So let's give the living something to remember."

Veronica's phone rang. She looked at Cheryl. "Give 'em hell, kid. I'm gonna solve a murder."

Cheryl smiled and left without a word. When she'd gone, Veronica answered the phone. "Mars here."

"Veronica, it's Betty. We found Polly."

Veronica stopped breathing. "How is she?"

"Pregnant. With Jason's baby."

A rush went through Veronica's body. Every clue was like a needle in the vein. It fueled her. It was part of the addiction that kept her at Mars Investigations. "Is that why he broke up with her?"

Betty's voice crackled through the phone. "No, he faked that. They were going to run away together on July fourth. That's what he needed Cheryl's help for."

"So they were just going to leave?" Veronica frowned. It reminded her a little too much of Duncan Kane running off with his infant daughter. That was a secret Veronica had struggled with for awhile, until she didn't have to lie about his whereabouts. She could honestly say these days that she didn't know where he was. "Did he take credit cards? A family car? Anything traceable."

"Polly said they had a car stashed off the highway. Drugs, food, clothes, a ring…"

Veronica sat up. "Whoa, hold up. Drugs?"

"He was supposed to make a one-time deal for the Serpents. It would give him enough money to leave town."

Good ol' illegal substances. Now that was something tangible. Something Veronica could track down. "We need to find that car. Who else knows about this?"

"Just Jughead. And my parents. They caught us at the group home." Betty paused before speaking again. "Veronica, there's… something else. I asked my dad where he was when Sheriff Keller was robbed. The night of the drive-in… He deflected. He didn't have an answer."

Another rush. Veronica always felt a little guilty about how people's lives tingled her nerve endings like a game of Parcheesi. Or Clue. Maybe that would have been a more accurate comparison, but the Mars family hadn't played Clue together since she was a kid. Lianne used to say it was unfair going up against Keith and Veronica.

"Betty, I need you to call Sheriff Keller and tell him about this. Where's the car?"

"Off Route 40."

"Drop me a pin. I'll meet you there."

"I feel bad for Cheryl. I mean, with the memorial…"

Veronica cut her off. "If we nail Jason Blossom's killer today, I think Cheryl will get over it."


	12. Boom Goes the Dynamite

_Cases are often like recipies. A sprinkle of embezzlement, a dash of adultery… Those are easy. We close shit like that daily. But then sometimes, if you're lucky, you stumble on something that could shake the bedrock of a town…_

She sent the text to her dad, then opened up the flashlight on her phone. "Well, that looks like like some solid evidence if you ask me."

"Holy shit," Jughead murmured. In front of them lay a treasure trove of information: Jason's letterman jacket, cash, cans of food, an antique ring, and most importantly, a duffel bag full of narcotics. Betty photographed the scene like someone getting a shot of Orlando Bloom leaving his house.

"Make sure you get the plate," Veronica noted. "Where's the sheriff?"

Betty shrugged. "He didn't answer the phone."

For some reason, that made Veronica nervous. "You need to get your sister. Right now, she's the only witness who can tell Jason's side of the story. I'll get Keller to bag all this." She gestured to the contents of the car.

Betty reached in and grabbed the antique ring from the glove box. "Can't believe I'm holding a Blossom family heirloom…"

"That came from the Blossoms?" Veronica raised her eyebrows. Hadn't Jason broken up with Polly to fool them?

"Nana Rose. She's old and crazy and not much of a witness," Jughead declared. "Trust me, I already thought about it."

Betty stared at the ring. "I'm taking this back to Polly. It's all she has left of him."

Veronica didn't argue. It never hurt to have evidence spread out. Even if it was inadmissible, the ring on its own was a valuable piece of the story. A smile spread as she noticed Jughead touch Betty's hand softly. "Betty, I think you left something out about recent developments."

Betty flushed. Jughead withdrew his hand. They both stammered, and Veronica shook her head. "No need to explain. Solving cases is very romantic. I've got a sailor back home for proof."

The three parted ways, and Veronica sped along the empty state highway until she reached the sheriff's office. Keller was inside, finishing up some sort of conversation with what appeared to be one of the Serpents.

"Alright, Mustang. Don't make me come down to the Wyrm."

The gang member grunted, "good luck" and brushed past Veronica through the open door behind her. Keller's frown softened as his eyes met Veronica's.

"Nice to see a friendly face."

Veronica beamed. "This face is about to make your day, Sheriff."

Keller motioned for her to sit, and he took a seat on the opposite side of a cheap, wooden desk. "Hit me."

Veronica opened her mouth to speak just as a buzzing sound in her pocket made her flinch. She pulled out her phone and felt her pulse race. "Shit."

"What is it?"

She didn't answer Keller immediately. Veronica's mind was already working on the latest crisis. She stared at the phone and scrunched up her face. On the screen was a text from Betty.

It read: _Polly is missing._


	13. The Most Dangerous Game

_Y'all, I'm sorry for the huuuuge delay in getting this story going again. I'm working on an MFA and trying to sell a TV show, so wish me luck on that (and let me know if you have connections!). For those waiting on the Outliers series, it's going to be a little longer (summer?) since I haven't watched season 2 yet. Anyways, here's a shorter chapter, and I will try to do these more regularly, even if they're around this length._

* * *

Veronica's heart raced as she dressed the next morning. She slid on a loose-fitting pair of jeans while simultaneously trying to wedge one foot into her old sneakers. Time was of the essence, and she wasn't sure she and her junior sleuths could keep Polly's disappearance quiet. She snagged an olive drab coat from the floor and an off-white infinity scarf draped over her suitcase. She tucked her notepad into her back pocket and turned the doorknob slowly.

Veronica peered out into the hallway. As always, Thornhill was eerily quiet, and the smallest sounds ripped the silence like a gunshot. She exited her room and quietly made her way to the main entrance. She made her way across the manor's grounds, and she looked back to see if she had raised any suspicion. She thought she saw a curtain move in one the easterly windows, but she dismissed it and ran the rest of the way to her car.

Betty had given Veronica directions to a spot at the edge of the forest where they could meet without drawing too much attention. Veronica followed the crude map she'd drawn on a Pop's napkin while trying to interpret the directions from over the phone. At one point she thought she'd made a wrong turn, but it was actually just the apostrophe in "Pop's" that had confused her.

When she finally arrived, Veronica was surprised to see that she was not the only one who'd been invited to the manhunt. A handful of people were huddled around Alice Cooper as she instructed them on their objective. On one side of her stood Hal, and on the other, Betty and Jughead. Ronnie and the Archie were in the crowd along with a few other faces she didn't recognize.

Veronica sauntered up to Jughead, her hands in pockets. "What do we get if we win? Some of that sweet Blossom syrup? Because I've had my fill of that at Thornhill. They put it on everything, dude. _Everything_."

Jughead gave her a half-smile. "Veronica, didn't you know? The real prize is the feeling you get in here..." He pointed to his heart with mock sincerity.

Alice finished her speech, and the group reformed into a long line before permeating the edge of the forest. It wasn't long before they heard the sound of dogs. Veronica tensed a little, her senses sharper over the years. Her body knew trouble better than Springsteen knew Jersey, and she knew something was wrong. The group stopped and instinctively started sink back to the middle around Alice and Hal. The barking grew louder, and in the distance, they could see a second party scouring the woods. The morning fog covered their features, but Veronica had a sneaking suspicion that Betty confirmed. "It's the Blossoms."

As the second group approached them, Veronica saw Cliff and Penelope leading the pack, Cheryl trailing behind them. Their party moved with more precision, and they were dressed fashionably for the occasion. A chill went through Veronica as she thought about Polly Cooper being chased down by these English fox hunter lookalikes.

The Blossoms came to a halt in front of them. Clifford spoke for the group. "Alice. Hal."

Alice's eyes grew wide. "What are you doing here?"

"Same as you, looking for Polly."

"How did you even know we were here?" Hal growled at the redheaded man.

Penelope sneered. "We had no problem getting the details from the gumshoe."

All eyes fell to Veronica. How was this possible? She couldn't have made such a rookie mistake. The phone she was using for the case was locked. There was no way she'd been hacked. Besides, she had only discussed the plan with Betty over the phone -

Veronica's stomach turned over. "You bugged my room." The thought appalled her. All her time spent in that room - working on the case, updating her dad, the rare but explicit talks with Logan late at night - it had all been violated.

"It _was_ your room," Cliff corrected. "You're fired, Ms. Mars." He produced a check and handed it to her. "For services rendered."

Veronica's head swirled with a mixture of vulnerability, hurt pride, and anger. The Coopers and Blossoms traded a few more barbs, but Veronica's mind was foggy. She had made a stupid mistake, but why should it matter? Until thirty seconds ago, the Blossoms were her clients. So why did they feel like enemies? An unexpected voice broke Veronica out of her fog.

"I'd like to hire Veronica." Everyone fell silent. Veronica arched and eyebrow, and he gave her a smirk in return.

"Surely that's a conflict of interest," Penelope said dismissively.

Jughead shook his head. "You hired her to investigate Jason's death. I want her to find Polly Cooper."


	14. A Lovely, Lovely Witness

"You know I didn't do it."

"I... hope you didn't do it."

Jughead scoffed. "Brooding artsy kid from the wrong side of the tracks - must be the bad guy, huh?"

Veronica shrugged. "I've seen high schoolers do a lot worse."

Veronica sat across from the Jones kid in Keller's station. She had come straight here after finishing up with the Coopers by the forest. The manhunt had been all fanfare and no substance. Blossoms and Coopers alike went home empty-handed, but Veronica still counted no news as good news. They would find Polly first, of that she had no doubt. But as the group emerged from the woods and sullenly parted ways, Veronica had noticed the good sheriff waiting for them. He escorted Jughead back to the patrol car without handcuffing him as a gesture of good faith.

"What's the charge?" Jughead had asked. "Being a Serpent's son or being homeless?"

"Arson."

Now Veronica was face to face with the sardonic teen, and he sat up as a thought popped into his head. "How'd you get Keller to let you in here?"

Veronica smiled a little. "I told him I'm your lawyer."

"I thought I hired you as a PI?" He arched an eyebrow.

"Well, Keller didn't hear that, and for now he doesn't know that I haven't kept up with my bar dues. So until then, I'm your lawyer."

Jughead looked genuinely surprised. "You're a lawyer, too?"

"I was. Back in New York..." She thought about that life for a moment and how comfortable it would have been. A corner office, a regular life with Piz, a comfortable life. And a boring one. Veronica snapped her focus back. "Keller says you have a history."

"Yeah, years ago. But why would I torch the car?"

Veronica put the brakes on her thoughts. "The car?"

"Keller didn't tell you? He thinks I torched Jason's car. The one with all the evidence we found."

"Fuck!" She stood up, fuming. She could get Jughead out of here easily, but the deeper implications made her uneasy. Someone had seen them that night. Someone with motive. She stepped out of the interview room and found Keller quickly.

"Hey, Huckleberry. You got something on my boy, or can he go?"

Keller frowned. "I'm just doing my job, Veronica."

"You know he didn't do it. He helped me find the car. If you want to save face, you're gonna have to start going after bigger fish than teens." Veronica spotted an incoming fax with a banner reading 'New York Bar Association' across the top. Her eyes widened, and she spoke without thinking. "Sheriff, you mind grabbing me a bottle of water?"

"Uh, sure," Keller muttered, still processing the information. He walked down the hallway at a leisurely pace, and Veronica snatched at the inbound fax. She crumpled it up in her hand on the way out and couldn't help but thinking she was in a 90s film.

 _"Jerry Gallo? I'm Jerry Callo, with a C!" Oh God,_ Veronica thought to herself. _Does that make me Joe Pesci? I guess I've got the height for it._

With that in mind, she climbed into her car and backed out of the parking lot. Next stop: the Cooper residence.


	15. Baby Mama Drama

_On today's episode of "family drama," we have the Cooper family. Let's see what's behind door number one._

The door swung open, and Veronica came face to face with Alice Cooper. No, not _that_ Alice Cooper. Betty's mother look exhausted, tears running down the corners of her eyes. But where there would normally be fear or worry, Veronica thought she sensed relief. Alice motioned her inside, and when she entered the living room, she understood why the usual sorrow was missing. On the couch sat Betty, beaming and holding the hand of a blonde, pregnant woman.

"One day on the case, and I've already got the gal," Veronica joked. Polly chuckled. "Hi, Polly. I'm Veronica Mars."

She felt the joy drain from the room. Betty looked up at her. "We're not staying long. Polly is going to stay with Veronica and Hermione Lodge."

Veronica glanced around, gauging reactions. Her eyes settled on Hal, and every muscle in his body held the tension that she was feeling in the room. _Someone's not a fan of bastard children_.

Alice spoke up. "She's not safe there. Thanks to Ms. Mars, the Blossoms know everything, even about the baby!" She looked back at Veronica and sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that."

"Mom, they have actual security guards and cameras at the Pembroke," Betty argued. "It's the safest place for her."

"Sounds good to me," Hal grumbled.

"Hal, she's our daughter!"

"I think I should have a say in this -"

"You're both making this worse -"

The ensuing minutes were rife with family squabbles just like Veronica imagined soap opera families had. She and her dad rarely fought, and rarely was it over something important. Their most recent argument to date had been over which Chinese restaurant in their neighborhood was better. Obviously, it was the one on 3rd Street, but he wouldn't listen to reason. Men and their pride.

Veronica took the opportunity to text Jughead Jones, who had technically hired her to find Polly.

 _Found Polly. Pay up, Juggy._

 _I've got five bucks._

 _Can I have your hat?_

 _Nope._

 _Buy me a milkshake when all this is over?_

 _Deal._

In the end, it was agreed that Polly would fare best with the Lodges. When the energy in the room had subsided, Veronica reminded the Coopers of her presence.

"Excuse me, Polly. Could I speak to you alone?" The Coopers looked stunned, but Polly nodded her head and followed Veronica into the next room.

Veronica leaned against the wall and gave Polly a once over. She noticed her baby bump, definitely real. She also noticed that Polly was wearing the Blossom family ring again.

"Polly, you know you might have to testify. When we find whoever is behind Jason's death, you'll have to tell the court what happened to you and Jason. The pregnancy, the escape plan, all of it."

She nodded, tears welling in her eyes. "Yes, I know."

"Betty said Jason was moving drugs for the Serpents. Do you know who his contact was?"

"No," she answered, shaking her head adamantly. "He never said."

Veronica led Polly back into the living room. It wasn't much to go on, but it was becoming clear that she would have to go into gang territory. If only calling for backup were as simple as the old days of texting Weevil and his PCHers…

Veronica's phone rang and startled her back to reality. Without looking at the number, she answered. "Hello?"

"Veronica, it's Cheryl."

Veronica put the phone on speaker for the Coopers to hear. "What's wrong, Cheryl?"

"My parents know about Polly's baby, and if they find her… they only care about Jason's baby. If you find her, get her out of here."

The phone clicked, and Veronica looked up at the Coopers. "Get her to the Pembrooke. I'm going to hunt some snakes."


	16. Blondes Solve More Murders

_Polly… I just met a girl named Polly… And suddenly I found just how murdery a town can be._

Veronica hummed to herself the whole way to the White Wyrm. It wasn't hard to track down the Serpents. She had waited a couple days to prepare, but when it came time to hunt for the seedy bar on the south side, Veronica found it with ease.

As she stepped out of her car, a few tough looking guys in Serpents jackets eyed her, but none of them said anything when she made her way to the front door. Inside, she found that the place lived up to expectations. Pool tables, a haze of smoke, and a jukebox in the corner made for the most cliche of hangouts, but there was one thing she saw that seemed out of place. The blue and gold of a letterman jacket, and, more specifically, Archie Andrews in that jacket.

Archie and few of the Riverdale High boys looked like they were in the middle of biting off more than they could chew. "You like beating up teenagers?" Archie shoved a Serpent who Veronica recognized from Sheriff Keller's station as Mustang. Mustang didn't hesitate and grabbed Archie by his jacket, shoving him backwards and knocking the kid onto the nearby billiards table. As Mustang drew forward to attack Archie again, Veronica emerged from the shadows, cell phone in hand.

"I've got 911 on the line. Who can give me the address here?" Mustang froze, and a few of the Serpents closed in on her.

"Take care of that girl," Mustang growled. "She's been working with Keller."

"Don't touch her." The voice was new, authoritative. A tall man with black, slicked back hair stepped forward from somewhere in the back of the bar. He walked over to Mustang and hovered over him. "Take a walk."

"These fucking brats -"

"Take a walk!" The new man grabbed Mustang and shoved him out of the way. "Archie, you and your boys need to get lost."

Archie, back on his feet, let all his rage come back to him. "Mr. Jones? You're with _them_? You guys trashed my dad's equipment and nearly killed Moose."

 _Mr. Jones? FP Jones. Disco._ Veronica stepped forward again, this time touching Archie's shoulder. "Be cool, Soda Pop."

Archie whirled around, confused. "What?"

FP Jones continued, "I called your dad, and he's on his way. Scram."

Veronica took a more direct approach, placing herself in front of Archie. "Don't worry. I'll take it from here. I've got my own questions for Mr. Jones." FP raised an eyebrow quizzically at her. Archie and his pals looked defeated but slumped off without a fight. Veronica was on her own.

"And what can I do for you, Miss...?"

"Mars. Veronica Mars."

"Well, for starters, you can get me a bourbon."

A few minutes later, Veronica and FP were seated together at the far end of the bar. They'd asked not to be disturbed, and the only person who came near them was Hawkeye, the bartender. FP downed a whiskey, and Veronica thought she could see something euphoric hit in his eyes. Addiction.

"So why did your boys go rough up Mr. Andrews' site?"

FP shook his head. "Wasn't us."

"Do you have a history with Fred Andrews?"

"We used to be business partners… until he fired me."

Veronica made a note. "Sounds like motive."

"Look, Ms. Mars. That's all water under the bridge. Fred's done right by my boy, and I'm grateful. I wouldn't have anything to gain for screwing him over."

"Maybe you didn't have a goal in mind," she retorted, watching Hawkeye refill their glasses. "Maybe it was just a fit of passion. Maybe you weren't in your right mind."

FP's eyes narrowed. "You got any other questions?"

"Sure. Why'd you kill Jason Blossom?"

"Now you're accusing me of murder? You got some balls, blondie."

"Jason was moving drugs for you. What went wrong?"

FP stood up. "The only thing that went wrong was that he died. We were square. All he had to do was make the delivery. So why would I want to kill him?"

It was a fair point. She thought about it on her way to the City Centre Motor Hotel. Now that she was kicked out of the Thorn Hill, Veronica was forced to find her own lodgings. _This is going to be one costly investigation with no clients to foot the bill._ Still, Veronica knew she wasn't going anywhere. Her own curiosity had to be satisfied. She would bring Jason Blossom's killer to justice before she left Riverdale.

Veronica had barely unpacked when her phone started buzzing. Betty.

"What's up?"

"Veronica, I don't know what to do. We had a baby shower for Polly, and I don't know where it went wrong… They're fighting, and I just… I don't know…"

"On my way."

Veronica had to ask herself whether everyone in Riverdale was as fucked up as the Kane family back home. Everything was just so Montague and Capulet here. She barged through the front door of the Cooper home to find four teary-eyed Coopers in a full force screaming match.

Veronica pulled a rape whistle from her purse and blew it. The piercing sound stopped all four Coopers in their tracks. "Nobody invited me to the baby shower."

In a few minutes, Veronica had the Cooper family seated and ready to talk at normal volume levels. "So what happened?"

Alice Cooper started. "I told Polly I wanted her to stay here."

Polly was quick to anger. "You sent me away! If you hadn't had me locked up, Jason and I could have left, and we wouldn't have been a problem for anyone. You got him killed!"

"I never meant for you to feel unloved, Polly. I was just doing what I thought was best -"

"You mean like what Dad did?"

Hal was on his feet. "Polly that's enough."

Betty started to protest, but Veronica held up her finger, and Betty took the cue to wait. "Mr. Cooper, what did you think the right thing to do was?"

Hal hesitated, but Polly answered for him. "He made me an appointment for an abortion. He wanted me to lose Jason's baby!"

Polly rose to her feet and grabbed a suitcase waiting by the front door.

"Polly!" Betty called after her, but it was too late.

Alice stood up. "Are you kidding me, Hal?"

"I will not be party to raising a child with Blossom blood!"

"You thought you could do to her what you did to me?"

"You don't understand how serious this is, Alice!"

Veronica watched intently, making notes and tracking their body language.

"I want you out of this house!"

"It's _my_ house."

"Get out before I do something we both regret."

"Alice…" Hal softened now, his eyes returning from their animalistic state.

"Hal, leave. I think by now you know what I'm capable of."

After a moment, the tension broke, and Hal Cooper stormed out the front door. Veronica made a note to herself: _Coopers are suspicious af. Reminder to ask Alice if she watches Jerry Springer._

"Betty, where did Polly go?"

"Thorn Hill, to live with the Blossoms. Penelope offered at the baby shower."

Veronica scrunched up her face. "I have to follow up on some other leads. Mrs. Cooper, I'll be back with questions. Right now, you should focus on getting Polly to come home. I don't have a lot of faith in the Blossoms' intentions."

Alice nodded, but she was still fixed to the spot, still in shock after watching half her family leave possibly for good. Veronica made her way to the front door.

"Where are you going?" Betty asked.

"Motel. Just need to regroup and try and fit some puzzle pieces together."

"Would you…" Alice was coming back to life. "Would you like to stay here? I can't pay you the way the Blossoms did, but if you want to help us find the truth, you're welcome to stay. We have plenty of room now."

Betty cocked her head. "Mom, what are you planning?"

"It's time we get some answers and start exposing the truth. Starting with Clifford and Penelope Blossom."


	17. Like Fathers

_The cold never bothered me anyway._ Veronica repeated the mantra to herself. She made it into a tune and hummed it to herself, imagining herself as some sort of ice queen trekking through the cold.

She needed to find somewhere to purchase a new coat. While Veronica had lived in New York and experienced her share of cold weather, she was a Cali girl at heart and needed the warmth to thrive. She hadn't brought any of her winter gear, as the case should have been long done by now.

As she approached the Jones family mobile home, Veronica had a sense she wouldn't escape the cold anytime soon. She reached up to knock on the door, but her hand found only air as the door swung open. FP Jones looked surprised to see her. Next to him stood Fred Andrews, and looked to be finishing a conversation.

"Ms. Mars," FP grinned. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Fred extended his hand, and she took it readily. "Fred Andrews. Pleased to meet you, Veronica Mars. I've heard a lot about you. And I hear you're responsible for getting my son out of the White Wyrm in one piece. Thank you."

"It was nothing, Mr. Andrews."

FP clapped Fred on the back. "While you're here, maybe Fred can vouch for my good intentions." _The bad boy and America's sweetheart are buddies? Like fathers like sons._

The other man nodded. "FP is sending some Serpents to help protect the construction site."

"Protect it from who?" She retorted.

Fred and FP exchanged a look. "I have my suspicions."

"Hiram Lodge," FP blurted out. "Sorry, Fred, but your girlfriend is trouble."

Fred shook his head. "Clifford Blossom all but admitted to sending them, FP."

"And Hermione told you point blank she thought it was Hiram."

"I'm sorry," Veronica interrupted. "Why would Hiram Lodge want to attack your project?"

Fred hesitated. "His wife and I… are close friends. And it's recently come to my attention that the Lodges are the buyers for the land. So maybe it's personal, maybe it's just to drive me away…"

"Mr. Jones, is Jughead home?" Veronica asked politely. "There was something I needed his help with."

"Jughead… doesn't always stay here with me. But I'm sure Archie or Betty could help you out tracking him down."

Veronica turned to leave, looking back over her shoulder. "Thanks for the info. And nice to meet you, Mr. Andrews!"

The two men waved back at her, and as she pulled away, she saw Fred climbing into his own truck to leave.

About half a mile down the road, Veronica pulled over to make some notes about Fred and the Lodges.

 _Lodges & real estate feud - connection?_

 _Blossom/Lodge connection?_

While affairs and contracts were P.I. catnip, Veronica admitted to herself that the connection to Jason's murder was tenuous at best. She shot a text to the brunette Veronica, hoping she'd have more information on Hiram, but there was no immediate answer.

Veronica put the car in gear and made the short drive to Riverdale High. Time to check in on another intrepid blonde investigator.

To Veronica's surprise, the office of the Blue & Gold was a little busier than usual. Betty and Jughead sat hovered over a computer screen while Alice Cooper of all people had sequestered herself to a corner, scrawling furiously with a red pen over an article.

"Didn't realize it was 'bring your mom to work day.'" The others looked up at her, but their eyes seemed to be staring past her. "What?"

Betty spoke up. "Archie?"

Veronica turned and looked at the redheaded boy who'd appeared in the doorway. His eyes looked wide, like he was still trying to process new information.

Veronica furrowed her brow. "Archie, what's wrong?"

"I, uh… I overhead Cheryl's parents yesterday. I think Clifford is the reason Hiram Lodge went to jail."

And just like that, her brow shot back up in interest. _Now that's a motive._


	18. Don't Tread On Me

_This is a very complicated case. You know, a lotta ins, a lotta outs, lotta what-have-yous._

Veronica chuckled as the reference crossed her mind. She was knee deep in her own research, as she'd been working the Blossom/Lodge angle for about a week, during which Veronica Lodge had come forward to corroborate what Archie had told them already - Clifford Blossom was responsible for Hiram Lodge's arrest. Archie also relayed Polly Cooper's suspicions that the Blossoms might be responsible for Jason's death. One of these two families was almost certainly guilty, and Veronica was determined to find the truth.

Betty and "Ronnie" Lodge worked in other corners of the Blue & Gold office, sifting through documents and photos like miners panning for gold. Alice Cooper strolled in, papers in hand. "Ladies, I need you to look around this room. Whoever is not in this room is on the table as a possible murder suspect."

"Even the Pussycats?" Veronica quipped, holding up a poster for the popular band.

"Jughead's not here yet…" Betty noted.

"The Jones men are still on the table," Alice confirmed. "And so is that gay Serpent FP keeps talking to."

Betty scoffed. "Joaquin? He's Kevin's boyfriend. Are you sure your vendetta against the Serpents isn't clouding your judgment, Mom?" She scooped up a handful of files pointedly and stormed out.

Alice turned back to the two Veronicas. "I need to interrogate FP Jones."

"And someone could be searching his trailer while you keep him busy," Veronica surmised.

"My thoughts exactly, Ms. Mars."

Veronica pulled around to the backside of FP's trailer trudged to the front door. She jimmied the lock with ease and cracked the door open slowly. She slipped through the door and began searching room by room. She methodically opened every drawer and every closet, gripping the handles with a sweater to avoid leaving prints. Part of her hoped she wouldn't find anything, that the gang member wasn't a murderer. Maybe it was that FP reminded her of another guy, a guy who'd put together a beautiful family and gotten out of his own biker gang. And as luck would have it, turned over the trailer revealed nothing. A bust for the case, but a relief for the Jones family to be sure.

As she left, Veronica tried calling Alice, but the number was busy. A text came through from the same number. _Chaperone school dance. Tlk in person. - A_

When Veronica reached the school, she found Alice Cooper conspiring in a corner of the gym with Archie and Veronica Lodge. Alice perked up as she approached. "Anything?"

Veronica shook her head. "Sorry, Cap. Ya boy is clean."

"I can't believe you all," Betty cried from behind them. Veronica whipped her head around to see both the blonde and Jughead only inches from them. "I knew it was a setup! Mom, you had Jughead and his dad over for dinner so you could interrogate them. And you!" She spat at Veronica. "You were snooping on FP?"

"I prefer the term 'sleuthing,'" Veronica deflected. Jughead's eyes watered, rage behind them. "You people don't care about me or my dad. I said he wasn't a killer! Isn't that enough?"

Betty reached out instinctively, touching Jughead's arm. He pulled back, wounded. "You, too. You knew your mom didn't want anything to do with us. You let her use us."

Veronica stepped forward, hoping to shift some of his blind pain towards her. It was always easiest to judge the stranger. "Jughead, there wasn't any evidence. He's clear. I was just doing my job."

"Calling it your job don't make it right, boss." _Oh right, there was someone else in this town who could keep up with her cinematic allusions._

Kevin Keller was next to join the circle. He almost slid past the group and grabbed onto Veronica's arm. "I just got a call from my dad. He's arrested FP for Jason's murder."


	19. We're Getting the Gang Back Together!

Down at the station, Veronica paced in front of the sheriff. "You think FP is the killer?"

"We found the murder weapon. A gun in a lockbox."

Veronica shook her head. "Where was the lockbox?"

"Ms. Mars, who are you working for now? Because if you're just here out of curiosity, I'm afraid I'm gonna have to ask you to head home."

"Just tell me where the lockbox was." Her demand was curt, but the sheriff obliged.

"It was in the back of his bedroom closet."

Veronica froze. "There's no way. There wasn't a lockbox in his closet."

Keller leaned forward. "And how would you know that?"

 _Because I broke in illegally looking for the kind of evidence you just found? Because I'm psychic? A psychic private detective… now that would make a great show._

"A highly accurate hunch?"

"Well, Ms. Mars, I'm afraid a hunch isn't going to be enough to get FP Jones out of jail."

"Well, I'm not sure I agree with you a hundred percent on your police work there, Lou."

"It's Tom."

 _And no taste in movies either, I see._

"Look, Sheriff, if I could just -"

"Go home, Ms. Mars. I think I can handle it from here."

Veronica gave a mock curtsey and stepped outside. She kicked at the gravel in front of the sheriff's office on her way back to her car, thinking loudly to herself.

Down at the diner, Veronica tried mentally sort through the evidence amidst the weird pop covers emanating from the jukebox. She sat with her eyes closed and ran through FP's trailer in her memory. Had she really missed the lockbox? No. It wasn't there.

"Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering."

Veronica opened her eyes and found Jughead Jones sitting across from her, sipping a strawberry milkshake. She made a fake look of annoyance.

"And you certainly are insufferable."

"Someone's feeling quippy today."

She shrugged. "It's a living."

They sat in silence for a moment before Veronica spoke again. "How are the burgers here?"

"To die for."

"I'm sorry about your dad."

Jughead got a distant look in his eyes. "He didn't do it. I know he didn't. And my so-called friends didn't believe that."

"Don't be so hard on them. I'm the one who broke into the trailer."

"Yeah, but you're a PI. You're supposed to investigate. Friends are supposed to trust you." He spat the last sentence out with more than a little hostility.

Veronica considered all the friends who'd suffered by being too close to her. "Sometimes a bit of skepticism is better than blind trust."

The door to the diner opened, and the rest of the mystery gang stumbled through. Archie, Betty, and Ronnie scanned the diner and rushed over to their table. Betty slid into the booth with Jughead.

"Jug, I'm sorry. We all want to help."

Veronica stood up. "The gun they found wasn't there when I broke in. Someone planted it. Does anyone know who or why?"

The others shrugged. Veronica grabbed her purse and threw enough cash on the table to cover Jughead's shake and a small basket of fries she'd barely touched. "Alright, meddling kids. Let's solve a murder."


	20. A Serpent's Tale

_Clusterfuck. From the latin, clusterus fuckilium. As in, FP Jones confessing to a crime he didn't commit just turned this case into a bigger clusterfuck._

Veronica's call to the sheriff had only complicated things. She hadn't even tried to talk Keller out of it. Murder weapon plus confession equals guilt. It was actual police work, and she couldn't fault him for that. But she could still solve it.

No sooner than she'd set her phone down had a second call come through. It was Cheryl Blossom.

"Veronica…"

"Cheryl, are you okay?"

"He… he killed my brother. He killed Jason."

"I don't think he did, Cheryl. But I promise, I will find out who did. Hello?"

The call had already dropped from the other end. Veronica sighed and decided to check in with the B-team. She dialed Betty first, which turned out to be, so to speak, the right call.

"B Coops, gimme the low down."

"What?"

Riverdale kids couldn't handle her street cred. "Did you find anything out?"

A moment of silence on the other end. "I, um. I'm actually sitting here with my dad. We're heading over to Thorn Hill."

"The Blossom estate? Why?"

"My dad took the sheriff's files that night everyone was at the drive-in. There's no way FP was responsible."

"Betty, why Thorn Hill?"

"My dad didn't want Polly to have the baby because the Coopers and the Blossoms are related, and if he shipped her away -"

 _What would the Blossoms have done to keep Jason and Polly apart?_ "Go there right now. Get her out. I'm tracking another lead."

That lead was a name scrawled on her notepad. The sheriff had recounted to her FP's confession about using Jason as a drug mule to help him leave Riverdale. He'd allegedly held Jason for ransom against the Blossoms and killed him during an escape attempt. It was too elaborate to a complete lie. Veronica knew most good lies were rooted in truth. She just didn't know which part was true. But the part that had interested Veronica, the part she'd written down, wasn't part of the confession at all. Sheriff Keller told her that FP's one phone call was to Joaquin DeSantos.

Joaquin had mastered the facade of a hardened gangster, but he was still just a kid. He reminded Veronica of another soft hearted biker from Neptune…

"Joaquin, why did FP call you?"

The boy shrugged. "Just warned me to lay low."

"Strike one. Why did he call you?"

"I don't have to tell you anything."

"Do you want him to go to jail? For Jughead to be alone? For Kevin not to trust you? Tell me the truth, Joaquin." She folded her arms and straightened up. She wasn't exactly an imposing figure, but she could certainly intimidate a nervous teenager.

"I don't know if he killed Jason, but he asked me to help him with… the cleanup."

Veronica's eyes widened. "You saw Jason's body."

"Someone shot him. But it didn't seem like FP's style. He's not an executioner."

"Unfortunately, this only makes things worse for him."

"There is something else. I don't know if it'll help. Jason's letterman jacket. FP said it was dangerous. I didn't pry."

Veronica felt the excitement rising in her. She was close to closing this case, and she knew it. "Where's the jacket?"


	21. The Usual Suspect

Veronica, Ronnie, and Archie paced the Andrews' garage. _Please, please, please let me get what I want._ Veronica hummed to herself, trying to keep her head clear.

The door burst open as Betty, Jughead, and Kevin Keller spilled in. Kevin shut the door behind them. Clutched in Betty's hand was Jason Blossom's jacket. She set it down without a word, and the group stared at it in silence.

Veronica spoke first. "So are you guys just taking it in? I mean, solving your first murder can be an exhilerating moment."

Archie looked confused. "We haven't solved anything."

"Betty, have you ever gotten a hole in a jacket."

The other blonde raised an eyebrow. "Yeah… I lose a lot of lipstick that way -" Her jaw dropped, the first to catch on.

Veronica flicked out a knife and sliced the lining of Jason's jacket expertly. Something tumbled out onto the ground. She picked up the small object - a USB drive.

The others made a collective gasp. Kevin broke into a huge grin. "Nancy Drew strikes again."

Veronica handed the drive to Jughead. "What say we screen a new film?"

Archie ran into the house and grabbed his laptop from upstairs. The gang gathered on the couch around the computer. Jughead plugged in the drive. Veronica couldn't help but notice the teen hesitate before playing the only file. No one rushed him.

After the prolonged click, the video sprang to life, security footage from what Veronica imagined was the White Wyrm. Jason sat tied to a chair. Clifford Blossom strolled in. Clifford taking the engagement ring back. A gun raised. The shot.

The teens around Veronica looked horrified, and it scared her to realize it didn't bother her in the slightest. This was the sort of evil that pervaded every town - especially in places like Neptune and Riverdale. An evil that people didn't know or pretended to not know existed. _The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist._


	22. Just Remember Me When

In the days after their discovery, Veronica and the amateur sleuths learned more about what had happened. Clifford's motive for murder was still unclear, and the world would never know. When Sheriff Keller and his men went to make the arrest at Thorn Hill, they found the Blossom patriarch hanging in his own barn. She didn't know about any afterlife, but it annoyed Veronica to know he wasn't going to face justice on earth.

FP Jones had been cleared of murder, but he was being charged with almost everything else in the book. He had been threatened by Clifford that Jughead would share Jason's fate if FP didn't comply in disposing the body and taking the fall. When it had counted most, FP had tried to be a good father, and now his life was in ruins because some rich prick shot a gun. It reminded Veronica too much of Celeste Kane's impulsive shot that had put Eli Navarro back on a dark path.

Joaquin had skipped town, knowing he'd be implicated in the cleanup. The Blossoms seemed to be genuinely mortified by Clifford's guilt and his death, and Veronica genuinely believed that not even Penelope Blossom knew the extent of her late husband's depravity. Hiram Lodge might have gotten off the hook on this one, but Veronica was still suspicious of the shadowy figure, and she warned Ronnie to be careful when her father returned.

She said her goodbyes to Archie and Kevin and to Sheriff Keller, who gave her a firm handshake. The Coopers were all very friendly and offered her a ride to the airport. Unfortunately, since the Blossoms were no longer bankrolling her or flying Logan's car back to Neptune, she was settling in for a long road trip.

She went to Pop's one more time, wanting to load up on carbs before the trip. Jughead Jones sat alone at a booth, and she slipped into the opposite side.

"Mars."

"Jones." She smiled. "How 'bout a burger? I hear they're to die for."

The two ate, and Veronica did more listening than talking. Back in Neptune, you couldn't swing a dead cat without hitting a teen who had dead, missing, or incarcerated parents. She'd seen the toll it had taken on some of her closest friends.

At long last she stood up from the booth and dropped a twenty for the both of them. She punched Jughead lightly on the shoulder. "Stay gold, Ponyboy."

She shot a silly text to her dad before starting the car: _A greeting I send to you! Short and sweet_ _._

 _Sounds like song lyrics._

 _Terrible lyrics maybe._ _on the way..._ _don't wait up. like seriously :(_

With a full stomach, Veronica pulled out of the diner and down the main road. As she found the highway and sped along into the early evening, she hoped her sympathy towards the teens hadn't made her look matronly or soft. She liked having her tough exterior. But you know what they say about Veronica Mars. She's a marshmallow.


End file.
